Maker On Shin-Gunto

[Kwakernaak]

Hi fellow collectors.

 

I am trying to translate the makers mark on a shin gunto. Strange on this sword is that there is no arsenal mark on the tang.

 

Can anybody help me find the maker of this blade? Your help is appreciated.

 

I managed o find .....MICHI...SAKU, but the other letters I am not able to find clear reference for.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Peter Jan Kwakernaak

[Stephen]

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/oshigata/michhiro.jpg

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Peter,

Ichihara Michihiro Saku.  Not all Showato have arsenal stamps.

Grey

[Bruce Pennington]

In my limited experience, I'd say Army gunto almost never have an arsenal stamp. Navy gunto sometimes have arsenal stamps (50% or less). NCO gunto always do.

[Stephen]

 

most showato will have above stamps but not all. Star stamp indicates gendaito

[David Flynn]

Bruce, do you mean all Shingunto, or showato?

[Bruce Pennington]

Bruce, do you mean all Shingunto, or showato?

David, I'm specifically speaking of Arsenal stamps - Kokura, Tokyo, Nagoya, Incheon, even Mantetsu. Sure, you'll see Star, Showa, even Seki; but I can't say I've ever seen an Arsenal stamp on an Army blade. Navy, sure, Tenzoshan (sp?) and Toyokawa, but even those are, what, 50% or less on Navy gunto?

[IJASWORDS]

Hi Bruce, I have a few swords with arsenal stamps on the KABUTOGANE of some GENDAI swords (KANENORI, MASAKIYO), do they count, (not on the blades however). Neil

[David Flynn]

Bruce, I'm a little confused on exactly what you mean?  However, how about the Na stamp ( Nagoya arsenal) stamps found on various swords.  Also, The Osaka arsenal stamp, seen on Nagamitsu and Gassan blades.

[Bruce Pennington]

Neil, yes I've seen stamps on koshirae, but even that one is more an inspector stamp rather than the arsenal stamp; but I meant the blade itself.

 

David, Like I said, my experience is QUITE limited as I've only been studying gunto for a little over 2 years. And one of my lessons learned is "never say never!" Would you think it fair to say that it's rare to see arsenal stamps (not inspector stamps) on Army gunto? I'd say it's slightly more common to see inspector stamps, like Na and To on Army gunto, but even that is PROBABLY less than 50%, seems to me.

[David Flynn]

Bruce, I suggest you go through the sticky, Arsenal Stamps.

 

Also, there are many different types of blades fitted to Gunto, both Army and Navy.

[Stephen]

semantics, Bruce your stuck in NCO world, stamps, arsenal stamps on nakago are in question not stamps on fittings

[Bruce Pennington]

semantics, Bruce your stuck in NCO world, stamps, arsenal stamps on nakago are in question not stamps on fittings

Stephen, amazingly I was running that same thought through my head as you must have been typing it!

 

David, yes, I have been delving fairly deep into Type 95 NCO gunto for some time lately. They have large "Arsenal" stamps and alongside, there are small "inspector" stamps. Yes, the inspectors are tied to the arsenal, and just seeing the inpector stamp immediately identifies the blade's arsenal, but the two are there for different reasons. It's like buying a new shirt. On the tag is the maker's name, say Land's End. Usually, also, inside you'll fid a little paper sticky with the quality control inpector's number that we always peel off and discard. The inspector's sticky is not the same as the maker's name and is there for different reasons.

 

So, yes, we're (or I) having a semantics problem! the "Arsenal Stamps" thread has become much more than just a collection of arsenal stamps. There are swordsmith (I've forgotten the official term) personal hotstamps. There are area swordmith guild stamps (Gifu, Seki), there are quality stamps (star, showa), there are patent stamps, etc. Yes, most of those are used and put on by arsenals, but they are not the trademark (to use Ohmura's term) of the arsenal.

 

So, I realize I must broaden my scope when I read someone ask about "arsenal" stamps! The stamps have become a bit of a secondary hobby interest for me, so I'm just going to have to seek clarification with the question asker before launching into my answer.

 

Good discussion guys, thanks!

[reeder]

Bruce, think of it this way, showa, seki, naval anchor, etc are arsenal acceptance stamps while the others are arsenal logo stamps. Still arsenal stamps.